Oil-distillation process



Oct. 25 1927.

E`. C. DYARMETT OIL DISTILLATION PROCESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1926 Edward C. /Zlr/We,

alito: H9110/ Patented Oct. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD C. DYARMETT, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOB F ONE-BALI T0 O. K. HERNDON, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

OIL-DISTILLATION PROCESS. l

Application led December 16, 1926. Serial No. 155.808.

The present invention relates'to improvements in methods of and apparatus for oil distillation, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for fractional distillation. y

p An object of the invention is'to provide a method of fractional distillation which is extremely simple and may be practiced with a minimum amount of personal supervision and attendance. l .y

A 'further object of the invention is to insure the elimination of entrained liquid from vapors given off at various stages, and also to thoroughly subject the oil in the still to heat in such a way that any vapors given off will entrain a minimum amount, if any, of the liquid.

A further object'l of the method is to insure continuous release of vapors from the body of liquid, to bring vapors of light fractions and the heavier liquid fractions into intimate contact, to avoid deposition of carbon, by moving the body of liquid longitudinally of the compartment, and at the same time 2b progressively increasing the heat longitu' dinally of the still compartment in the direction of oil flow. In order to obtain the full effect of the increased heat, and to accomplishl the other objects, the liquid is preferably moved in local cyclic circulations repeatedly over the heated still surface thereby producing vapors which lpass upwardly through the heavier liquid fractions into intimate contact therewith. In other words, the liquid is moved not only longitudinally of the'still, but in addition has imparted thereto local cyclic circulations transversely of the longitudinal line of flow and of the heated surface, whereby the liquid is repeatedly passed over the surface as it passes through the zones of increasing heat. The light fractions are thus vaporized, and the heavier liquid fractions mingle with the vapors as they pass upwardly through the` liquid, and also at the surface of the liquid body where the liquid is moving and thus comes into contact with the vapors thereabove. Another object of the invention is to confinethe streams in the cyclic circulations as they pass over the heated surface, to relatively shallow depths, so thatthe heated surface has a substantial effect on the oil travelling in the streams.

Any suitable means may be provided for obtaining the desired circulation of the oil 1n the still and the increasing heat zones, and for the purpose of illustrating a suitable means, there is shown in the present application a practical formof apparatus in which the circulation is obtained by convection, or, 1n other words, by the effect of heat, means being provided within the container for forming or defining the streams.

In carrying out the method, the oilv is heated in a still apparatus which includes any suitable liquid containing means, such as a plurality of chambers arranged in association with a suitable heating means, such as a single furnace, the'oil being adapted to pass from one compartment to another, and being raised in each compartment to a predetermined temperature.

The vapors are taken off from each compartment or chamber, and ldirected through a dephlegmator in which the vapors and any entrained liquid follow a tortuous course. The path through the dephlegmator is arranged so that it has upwardly and downwardly directed portions, the vapors and liquid passing more slowly or with less velocity in the upwardl directed portions than in the downward y directed portions.` This is accomplished by providing a series of alternate upwardly and downwardly directed baffles arranged in pairs with nar-- rower spaces forming the downwardly directed portions between the members ofeach pair than the spaces forming the upwardly directed portions which are between the separate pairs. This arrangement produces a relatively high velocity or rapid travel 'in the downward movementsof the vapors as compared tothe travel in the upward passages between the-separate pairs' of baflies. The rapid downward and slow upward' movements cause any entrained liquid or unvaporized oil to be thrown out of the vapors as they travel through the tortuous course, and when the vapors` leave the dephlegmator for the condenser, they contain no entrained oil or liquid of any kind. Although the dephlegmator construction and advanta es are fully described in the present application it is not claimed herein, but is-disclosed and claimed in my copending applicatiomSerial.

No. 99,311, filed April 2, 1926.

Within the still container there is provided a suitable` means, such as bailes arranged in such a position that the oil travels not only .from onecompartmentutothe other, but also it has a movement or cyclic circulation at an angle to the longitudinal travel, and in which it circulates u wardly over a heated zone, and downwar y through that portionof the still less exposed to heat. This-method of circulating the oil in its travel through each compartment 'prevents `the generatlng, of large quantities of steam at a time, should any water be carried intothe still with the oil, and the small quantities of steam generated will pass from the still without entraining substantial quantities of oil, if any at all.

It will be understood that the moveme of the liquid in c clic streams as it. ad-

. vances longitudina y repeatedly passes the liquid over the heated surface, the heat of which increases longitudinally of the container in the direction of oil low, and thusv the oil is subjected to zones of progressively increasing heat as it passes through the compartment.

The above described features of the invention will be madeclearer by a description .of the embodiments of the invention which Aare disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a suitable form of a paratus.

Figure 2 is a vertical sect on on the line 5-5' of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a 'vertical transverse section on the 1ine6-6 of Figure 1, looking in the di rection of the arrows. y

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on a line 7-7 of Figure 1.

Referring' to the drawings, there is shown i a preferred form of apparatus for carrying out my improved method.

In this preferred embodiment, the distilling chambers or compartments 46, 47 are formed within a casing 48 by means of a transverse partition 49 having openings 49 therein through which the oil unvaporized by the heat in the compartment 46,- mayI pass4 to the compartment 47.

The casing has a cross-sectionalV sha e, with the bottom u wardly arched and t e top curved. This orm'perm'its the heavier. portions of oil being treated to lsink to the vbottom at the sides of the arched bottom, while lighter portions are received ontop of 4 the lower or more heated oil body. In

other words, the heated surface ofthe container is of convexo-concave vformation, by which is meant ithas portions inclined relative to one another upwardly into the liquid container. This formation assists in maintaining the liquid within the container in a relatively sha low body, which forms substantially a film or shallow layer over the `heated surface, whereby theheat may effectively penetrate the body ofv liquid. Moreover, the inclination of portions of the heated A surfacev relative to one another, which is meant bythe use ofthel expression convexoconcave in the specification and claims, tends to cause any carbon deposit upon the bottom to gravitate away from the major ortion of the Heated bottom toward the si es of the latter, .and thisv gravitation is'4 assisted by the cyclic circulations of the liquid.

'The container may bc heated from a combustion chamber 50 arranged beneath a horizontallyextending partition or baille 51,' which terminates at 52 approximately on a line with the rear end of `the compartment 48. The combustion chamber 50l is provided with any suitable source of 'heat such as' the burner 51', and, preferably, it is mounted for sliding movement beneath the baille or partition l52, so that as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 4, it may be moved longitudinally to vary the point at which the products of combustion pass upwardly and reverse their course to travel beneath theb'ottom of the still compartments to the stack 53.

This construction v causes the llame and products of combustion to pass rst through y the space beneath the secondary distilling compartment 47, or the last compartment of the series if more than two are. employed, and then to return from the to 51 to reach the outlet stack. .g the combustion .chamber 50 may vary the distance of travel of the products ofcom-` bustion beneath the compartments, and also direct the latter against the rearfwall of of the baille. djustment of the casing for a purpose which-will be later described.

The oil to be treated is su plied to the upper portion of the first disti ing compart ment 46 through a pipe 54, the'outlet end of which extends through' the side wall of the casing 48, and over the relatively shallow concave pan 55. This pan extends transversely across the distilling chamber, and at substantially opposite sides of the' longi tudinal .intermediate iportion of the arched bottom has its forward edge cut awayl (Figure 4) so that the oil therein will iow over its forward wall in two separate streams. each df which is substantially co-extensive -with the cut away portions 55. The trou h is provided primarily for the purpose of i recting thefoil downwardly only at opposite longitudinally of the still, but also upwardly over the heated -archedbottom between the latter and the bailles, and then downwardly outside the bailles .throu h-that portion of the still less exposed to eat. The `portion of the liquid around eacli baile consists of' tities of steam at a time, should any water be carried into the still with the oil, and the small quantities of steam produced at anyv given time will be discharged Without entraming substantial portions of the oil, if any at all.

The time required for the oil to pass through the compartment-46 is sutiicient toinsure that all the lighter fractions thereof will be vaporized while the heavier fractions Will pass through the openings 49 into the second distilling chamber or compartment 47 within which, as will be observed, the battles 56 are arranged to function in the same manner .as in the compartment 46. The relative heat range of each section or distilling compartment of the apparatus is partially controlled by the length' thereof in relation to the other compartments or distilling chambers. For example, with an apparatus of the form particularly illustrated, wherein it is assumed t0 be desirable to employ temperatures in the compartment 46 ranging from 100 to 400 degrees, or through "a range of 300 degrees While the temperatures in the compart-` i ment 47 will vary from 400 to 500 degrees,

or through a range of 100 degrees, the com'- partment 46 is several times as long as the com artment 47. A

T e number of distilling compartments, and the relative'lengths of eachv will, of course, be increased and relatively proportioned as appears desirable.

It will be understood, ot course, that the container length is only one factor in the ltemperature range, another primary factor .being the amount of heat supplied, it being possible, o'il course, to increase or decrea`e the heat supply by suitable adjustment of the burner 12.

Any oil'unvaporized in the compartment 47 passes through pipes 58 to a vessel or chamber' 59,111* may, b means of a valve controlled b1 anch 60, e discharged from the still without introduction into the chamber 59. The-vessel 59 has a partition 61 and an overflow discharge opening 62, which is arranged to 'control'automatically the level ofV oil within vthe still compartments. As will be understood, the level of oil within Vthestill cannot exceed the plane of the overflow discharge opening 62 which is arranged to control automatically K the level of oil within the still compartments.

This vessel may be constructed to serve alo as a' neat exchanger. as in the* previouslyA described embodimentv of the invention. v For this purpose, the vessel 59 is divided into several compartments bymeans of the partition 61 and an upper' partition 63 form-inge cylindrical compartment 64. The chamber of the compartment 64 communicates with a compartment 64 below the partition 6l through pipes 65.` The oilv for the still is introduced into chamber v64 through pipe 66 and will tlow upwardly through the .pipes 65. which are surrounded b the heated .unvaporized oil from the stil thus the fresh oil'supply is preliminarily heated before it'reaches the chamber 64, and passes therefrom through partment of the still.

It will be observed that in the apparatus for carrying outl the invention the casing 59 is ,immediately adjacent the rrear end ofthe 'flue beneath the still, so that the heat from the products of combustion which 'pass upwardly at the rear end of the combustion chamber may be directed against the same 1 to assist the unvaporized oil from the still in preliminarilyheating the fresh oil supply in the heat'exchanger. As in the constructio previously described, a conduitor pipe 69 may connect the upper end of the chamber 64 with the initial compartment of the still to equalize the pressure and permitthe gravitational flow o the oil'through pipe 54 .to the compartment 46; and .further,.any

sediment which is prevented from passing upwardl by s'creen6'7 in compartmentv 64 maybe t rained thereon by the drain pipe 68.

The va ors from the still container are conductedP purposev of separatin therefrom any 'entrained liquid. -The ephlegmators are in the preferred embodiment, positioned within the still casing so as to have maintained therein, a high degree of heat which willv pipe A54 to the tirstifcomthrough a dephlegmator for the v prevent condensation of any vapors before they pass from the dephlegmator. Each dephleomator comprises a substantially cylindrical passage 70, having an inlet opemng 71 adjacent the rear end of the compartment and an outlet 72 extending thro'ugh .the top wall of thecasing 48, this opening conduct.

lng vapors to. a condenser (not shown). Within each ldephlegmator is positioned a .series of alternately arranged upwardl `and downwardly extendin battles 72. i` hese batlles are, preferably, inclined to the vertical instead of being arranoed in exact vertical planes. This inclination lengthens the l and the passage or branchiiares or widensl 2U tortuous path for the vapors and entrained liquid.

The bailles are arranged in distinct pairs forming downwardly extending branches 71, which are narrower or of less area than the upwardly extending branches 72, the arrangement serving to increase the velocity of the vaporsv and entrained vapors in their downward movements, and iving slower upward movements. By positioning the dephle mator within the still compartment, the eat of the still prevents condensation of vapors before they passv from the dephlegmator, and, moreover, the inclination' of the baffles lengthens the path of the vapors within the caslng 70.

Moreover, it will be noted that the branches' 71 are lat one portion somewhat constricted in a direction away from theJ constricted portion at opposite sides thereof. This con- ;st-ruction serves to prevent back pressure from effecting the travel ofthe vapors, and serves, furthermore, to increase the-velocity of the downwardly travelling vapors, thereby improvingjthe whipping action which throws out of the vapors any entrained liquid. Y

Any liquid separated from the vapors Within the dephlegmator of the first compartment 1s carried od by means of short pipes 73 to vhas a branch 75 (Fig. 2) extending through the wall of the casing,and from which the oil may be either returned to the still compartment 46 for further distillation through a valve-controlled branch 76, or withdrawn through a valve-controlled pipe 77. The dephlegmator casing 71 of the nal compartment 4.7l has leading therefrom adjacent to each of the upwardly extendin baiiies 72', -a liquid discharge pipe 78, eac pipe being laterally and downwardly directed (Figure 3) so that the liquid will be discharged below the level of the oil in the chamber and' will, with theoil abovev Vand outside the baile plates 56, pass downwardly and then yupwardly inside the baffle over the arched l heated bot-tom of the compartment.

It will be understood, of course, that numerous modifications may be made in the structuresillustrated and described without departurefrom the invention.'

Al hough the still, as shownis mounted upon a fixed' base, it is of' very light andl compact. construction,

and hence may be readily applied to a portable or wheeled base, which, of course, is within thelscope of the invention.

As-will be understood, the apparatusde- ,scribed will carry out the improved method which broadly consists in progressively increasing the heat of the liquid as it advances .longitudinally of a still container, and at the saine time causing transverse (i. e. either ay heater 74, which, at one end,-

vertically or horizontally) local cyclic circulations of the advancing liquid, and preferably in shallow streams, whereby it is repeatedly passed over the surface to come in contact with the zones of increasing heat. The local cyclic circulations may be in a single stream or in a subdivided body, =as explained, consisting oftwo streams each having a plurality of these'local cyclic circulations. The' convexo-concave formation of the heated surface assists materially in providing a body of liquid of little or substantial ilm-like depth, which therefore may be effectively actedlupon by the heat. Moreover, as will be understood, the inclination of portions of the surface, in addition to the cyclic streams, assists in` causing gravitationai movement of the carbon deposited on the heating surface relative thereto and away from the major portion of the heating zone toward the longitudinal center of the container. Such terms as are used in the specification and claims for including conventional apparatus are used in their broadest-Sense, and by container` for instance, is meant any ,suitable means for retaining the liquid when subjected to heat and permitting the 'circulations and travel defined. Qbvio'usly, this method may be carried out in varlous forms of apparatus and is not lim1ted to the specific apparatus described. The present application is a continuation 1n part of my co-pending application, Serial No. 99, 311, filed April a, i926.

a container having a heated surface, progressively increasing the heat longitudinally of the container in the direction of oil flow, moving the traveling liquid in a plurality of local cyclic circulations over said heated surface whereby the advancing liquid in said circulations repeatedly passes over said progressively heated surface in defined cyclic streams, the path of said circulations being disposed substantially. vertically and trans versely of the longitudinal path of travel andy drawing olf vapors fromabove the circulating liquid.

2. The recess of distilling liquid hydrocarbons which consists in causing the liquid to flow longitudinally through a container having va heated surface, progressively increasing the'heat longitudinally of the container inthe direction of oil iow, moving -the traveling liquid in a pluralitfv of local cyclic circulations over said heated surface, the path of said circulations being disposed Substantially vertically and transversely of the longitudinal path of travel and of the heated surface whereby the advancing liquid in said circulations repeatedly passes over said progressively heated surface in defined cyclic streams, the liquid moving over the heated surface in shallow cyclic streams whiletainer.

3. The process of distilling liquid hydrocarbons whichl consists in continuously causing the liquid to flow longitudinally through a container having .a heated-surface, progressively increasmg the heat longitudinally of the container, in the direction of oil flow, subdividing the body of fluid into a plurality of portions extending longitudipassing through the connally of the container moving the lliquid in' each portion in a plurality oflocal cyclicl circulations over said'heated surface where-.

by the 'advancing liquid in said circulations repeatedly passes over said progressively heated surface in defined cyclic streams, the path of each of said circulations being dlsposed substantially vertically 'and .transf versely of the longitudinal path of travel and ldrawing of vapors from above the clrculating liquid.

4. The process of distilling liquid hydro'- ,over said progressively heated surface in defined cyclic streams, the path of each ofV said 4 circulations being'disposed substantially ver'- tically and transversel of the longitudinal ath of travelA and of t e heated surface, the 'quid moving over the heated surface in a shallow stream while passing through the plurality of por-l container, and drawing off vapors from above the circulating liquid.

, 5. The process of'distllling liquid hydrocarbons, whichconsists in causing the liquid toI flow longitudinally through a container having a heated surface with portions con-v verging toward one another-into the conl Atainer,'wl1ereby carbon deposited thereon may' tend to gravitate relative thereto, progressively increasing the heat longitudinally of the container in the direction of oil flow, moving the travelling liquid in a plurality of local cyclic circulations over said heated surface, whereby' the advancing liquid .in said circulations repeatedly passes over said progressively heated surface in defined cyclic streams, the path of said c irculationsbeing disposed substantially vertically andtransversely'ofy the longitudinal path of travel and drawingo vapors' from above the circulating liquid) y 6. The rocess of distilling.v liquid hydrocarbonsw ich consists in continuously caus-- ing the liq'iiid to flow longitudinall, through a container having a heated sur ace, pro- --gressively increasing `'the heat longitudinally o f the lcontainer in .the direction of oil low, moving b convectlonthe travelllng liquid in a plura ity'of local cyclic circulations over saidl heated surface4 whereby the advancing liquid in said circulatlons repeatedly passes f over said progressivelyheated surface 1n dei fined cyclic streams and the produced vapors' and heavier liquid fractions commingle, the

path of said circulations being dis osed substantiall vertically and transverse y of the 'longitud7 o'ft' vapors from 'above the circulating liquid.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

' EDWARD c. DYARMETTi inal path of travel and drawing 

